Sympathy
by rosabelle317
Summary: Concussions suck. Andros has a concussion. Andros/Zhane.


**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the Power Rangers.

**Notes: **A couple of things: First, I am tired of sounding eternally emo, so at some point in the near future I'll be changing my pen name. I'm not sure yet what I'm changing it _to_, but if you have me on alert and you're like, "who _is_ this person?" it's probably me.

Second, my keyboard is currently functional but totally broken, and writing is rather hard when it requires pasting in several letters. I think I got it all, but if you notice any random zeroes, please let me know.

Third, this is for Tsukino Akume, who spent most of the week unconscious; for Purplestripe66, who is awesome; and for Starlit Purple, who just likes when there is pain.

**Sympathy**

"My head hurts."

It was really annoying that Zhane was smiling right now. "Yeah. Concussions do that."

The effort it took to scowl was enough to make his eyes water in pain, but it was worth it when Zhane had the decency to look sheepish. "Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No." Andros closed his eyes, curling his fingers into the blanket. "But don't wake me up again."

He was sure he'd said the last part, just like he was sure he'd said it the time before last, and the time before that. Zhane had ignored him every time, and the fact that Andros was expecting nothing different this time didn't keep him from snapping when Zhane nudged him awake.

"Sorry." Zhane drew the blanket up to his chin. "How do you feel?"

"My head hurts." It wasn't any easier to glare this time, but he did it anyway. "And I'm tired."

"I know." Zhane edged a little closer.

He didn't like this bed. There was really only enough room for one of them, and they'd only given him one pillow. He didn't like the room, either—the air was stale and smelled of disinfectant, and there were too many monitors he'd only just been detached from.

Andros closed his eyes again. He didn't like hospitals.

"Just let me sleep," he whispered. "Please, Zhane..."

"You know I can't do that."

"Why not?" It almost sounded like he was whining, but Andros told himself that was just because he was exhausted.

"Well," Zhane said, very lightly kissing his forehead, "death or something."

"You're exasperating." His brow furrowed. "or exagger—exaggergating. one of those."

"Just one?" Zhane had the nerve to smile again. "But until the doctors tell you you can go, you're staying right where you are and following orders."

Andros didn't like following orders. Especially now, when there was no good reason he couldn't sleep for as long as he wanted to.

He felt his eyes slide shut again.

The next thing he knew he was whimpering into Zhane's shoulder and in so much pain he didn't care about the whimpering. He thought there might have been shouting somewhere, but it was lost in the dizzy aching _ow_ that pulled his chin down and his knees up towards his chest.

Andros squeezed his eyes shut before he could be sick.

Distantly, he felt Zhane pull away and took advantage of the extra space to curl into a ball, clenching fistfuls of the blankets in sweaty hands as he tried to focus just on breathing. one. Two. Three. In. out.

"Hey." Zhane's fingers brushed lightly over the back of his hands before they curled around Andros's wrists. "It's gone now."

"What happened?"

"Not important." Zhane eased back into the bed with him. "But you remember what you threatened them with the last time I was in here?"

Andros felt his lips twitch in satisfaction. "Yeah."

"Do I see a smile?"

Andros didn't need to open his eyes to know that Zhane was making another obnoxious face. "No," he whispered, but he slowly untangled his fingers from the blankets.

"I think I do." Zhane poked a finger into his chest. "Are you sure you don't want anything? Water?"

Andros caught himself just before he nodded. "I'm fine."

"I'd wait on you hand and foot, you know," Zhane said. "You should take advantage of it while it lasts. I know I would."

"You always do," Andros said. He tried not to smile any more than he already was.

"Which is exactly my point." Two fingers this time. "C'mon, what do you want?"

"Uninterrupted sleep."

"Sympathy, then." Zhane rearranged the blankets for him.

"Would be nice."

"I can do that." Zhane didn't kiss him so much as exhale against his lips, but the warmth was... nice. "Now go to sleep."

Andros didn't need to be told.


End file.
